How subjective are cupcakes?

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How subjective are cupcakes?

As a 53 year old who is really just starting to try to cook and bake I have of course run into the subectiveness of what is great and what is not. So when looking for recipes I'm not getting a bit cynical and frustrated as one person 5 star recipe rating is another persons 1. So...... Looking at recipe's for (allegedly) Magnolia's and other famous cupcakes I find both raves and critics. What is going on here? What are the big differences in what people are looking for? I can only think of a couple (besides flavor and ingredients)moist and dense ordrier and...and...spongy? a crumbly crumb vs. a not so crumbly crumb? Yea I don't even know.

I have mostly been a pie person not a cake person but would like to try cupcakes from scratch. I tend to find the kind of box made and grocery store cupcakes people bring in to work somewhat flavorless though their texture is ok? And I really am not into that deli type cake frosting.. is that confectionars sugar stuff? So....any opinions on cupcakes? Recipes (describe type it makes)